Psychology Commons^™

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem, Ambivalence, And Relationship Outcomes Within Romantic Partnerships, Victoria J. Schriber

Senior Independent Study Theses

The current study analyzes self-esteem and the apparent mood of one’s partner as predictors of perceived responsibility, level of felt rejection, and relationship satisfaction in romantic relationships. The study hypothesizes that ambivalence will act as a moderating variable between self-esteem and romantic relationship outcomes. Previous research on the topic suggests that self-esteem is associated with how participants react to their romantic partner when they are in a specific mood. The current study will be one of the first to examine how ambivalence affects self-esteem’s effect on romantic relationships. The results replicate previous research, showing that self-esteem interacts with partner’s mood …

Relationships Among Health Counseling Training Experiences And Time Engaged In Counseling, Percentage Of Patients Counseled, Practitioner Confidence, And Perceived Importance, Stephen Edward Lupe

Theses and Dissertations

In the current healthcare system, the need for collaborative care is higher than ever. With current reforms in reimbursement and healthcare policies, it is becoming increasingly necessary for psychologists and other practitioners to break ranks with their traditional roles and to participate as a part of a multidisciplinary team that works in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. This study aims to look at the health counseling behaviors of psychologists and graduate psychology students from an APA accredited clinical psychology graduate program. It aims to examine the relationships among health counseling training variables and time spent engaging in health counseling, highest …

Psychoeducational Module To Promote Knowledge And Reduce Stigma Towards Recreational Marijuana Users, Stephanie J. Strong

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Stigma can affect many aspects of life for those who are subject to stigmatization. As contact with stigmatized groups increases, less stigmatization occurs. Marijuana is one of the most commonly used illegal substances and is growing in popularity. Relatively few studies have examined the relations between stigma and specific substance use or particular characteristics of non-users that may influence stigma. Additionally, current anti-stigma interventions targeted at the general population have been largely unsuccessful in the reduction of stigma. The current study assesses a 25- minute online psychoeducational module designed to increase knowledge and reduce the stigma of recreational marijuana users …

The Relationship Between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder And Depression In The General Population, Krystal Moroney

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Though much is known about obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression individually, not much research has been done to look at the comorbidity of the two mental illnesses. This study seeks to review the comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression in a college sample. Comorbidity between mental illnesses like OCD and depression is important to study because results will implicate what symptoms should be of concern, and these symptoms should be used to consider treatment. Understanding symptoms of both illnesses, and how they relate, can drive future research on what the best treatment options are for individuals diagnosed with these illnesses. …

Sick Of Deviants: How The Behavioral Immune System May Impact Responses To Violated Norms, Neal G. Pollock

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In order to protect themselves from harmful pathogens, individuals have evolved a behavioral immune system (BIS) that is sensitive to disease cues (Schaller, 2006). At the cultural-level, there are variations in norms based on the prevalence of pathogens within a region (Schaller & Murray, 2008). Previous findings support the notion that the BIS promotes conformity (Murray & Schaller, 2012; Murray, Trudeau, & Schaller, 2011; Gelfand et al., 2011), as this produces an environment that is more protected against harmful pathogens. The current study attempted to provide experimental evidence for increased punishment for norm violations when the BIS was activated. Seventy-six …

Changing Perceptions Of Loss: The Influence Of Generation Effects And Message Framing, Kaylee Brown

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This study is a three-part survey that examines how loss can be experienced differently based on one's generation and the way a message about loss is framed. More specifically, participants of all ages read a mock article that framed loss experiences positively or negatively, and then participants answered questions regarding their own loss experiences. It was hypothesized that, due to generational variance, older vs. younger individuals may deal with loss quite differently and, as such, may react to the positively and negatively framed loss articles as a function of their ages. As hypothesized, significant relationships among article type and age …

Existence As Economy And As Charity An Essay On The Essence Of Christianity (1916) By: Antonio Caso, Antonio Caso, Alexander V. Stehn, Jose G. Rodriguez Jr.

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Antonio Caso rejects the effort of biologists to reduce life to the organic world, a sphere of existence that is defined by economy and egoism, best summarized in the formula: Life = Minimum Effort x Maximum Gain. The problem is that this cannot explain what he calls “disinterested activity,” such as play, art, and self-sacrifice. His primary example of disinterested or selfless activity is the life of Jesus, which Caso also believes is the height of human dignity. In other words, Caso not only argues that there is more than one order of life or existence; he also argues …

Quality Of Life And Depression Among Patients With Type I Diabetes: A Study Of Gender Differences, Eisha Gohil, Ruby Charak, Haroon Rashid, Priyanka Sharma

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Diabetes is a progressive chronic condition which places a significant burden of self management on the individual, such as daily monitoring and medications management, worry about the future and distress about the impact of diabetes on various aspects of life. It is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. The present study aimed to assess gender differences in quality of life and depression in patients suffering from type I diabetes. A sample of 70 participants (44 male and 26 female) in the age range of …

The Role Of Religious And Spiritual Beliefs In The Academic Success Of College Students, Shaunquelle A. D. Sapp

Theses and Dissertations

The college environment can be very demanding for students. Students are often challenged by many new experiences as they adjust to their new environment and learn to balance their academic responsibilities and social life. Previous research has examined two factors, religiosity and spirituality, that can contribute to the academic success of college students. The present study was conducted to examine the correlation between religiosity and spirituality and college students’ grade point averages (GPA) which was operationally defined to measure academic success. It was hypothesized that higher levels of religiosity and spirituality would correlate with higher GPAs. Participants were asked to …

A Multivariate Meta-Analysis Of Motivational Interviewing Process And Outcome, Scott A. Baldwin, Brian T. Pace, Aaron Dembe, Cristina S. Soma, David C. Atkins, Zac E. Imel

Faculty Publications

Motivational interviewing (MI) theory proposes a process whereby a set of therapist behaviors has direct effects on client outcomes and indirect effects through in-session processes (e.g., client change talk). Despite clear empirical support for the efficacy of MI across settings, the results of studies evaluating proposed links between MI process and outcome have been less clear. In the present study, we used a series of multivariate meta-analyses to test whether there are differential relationships between specific MI-consistent and MI-inconsistent therapist behaviors, MI therapist global ratings, client change language, and clinical outcomes. Based on 19 primary studies (N = 2,614), we …

Cortical Thickness Of Neural Substrates Supporting Cognitive Empathy In Individuals With Schizophrenia, Derin J. Cobia, Suena H. Massey, Daniel Stern, Eva C. Alden, Julie E. Petersen, Lei Wang, John G. Csernansky, Matthew J. Smith

Faculty Publications

Background—Cognitive empathy is supported by the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC), insula (INS), supplementary motor area (SMA), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), and precuneus (PREC). In healthy controls, cortical thickness in these regions has been linked to cognitive empathy. As cognitive empathy is impaired in schizophrenia, we examined whether reduced cortical thickness in these regions was associated with poorer cognitive empathy in this population.

Methods—41 clinically-stable community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia and 46 healthy controls group-matched on demographic variables completed self-report empathy questionnaires, a cognitive empathy task, and structural magnetic resonance imaging. We examined between-group …

The Effects Of A Text Message Intervention On Conversational Speech Between Dyads Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Julia Blanco

CMC Senior Theses

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) per DSM-5 criteria are characteristically limited in their ability to interact socially due to conversational speech delays. Typically, children with ASD experience a more constrained number of appropriate initiations and responses in conversations with peers. Previous research has shown the benefits of using scripted language to increase verbalizations in these children. However, limited research has been conducted on the use of technology to increase social interactions between children with ASD. This study will be based on hypotheses and results from the dissertation, “Teaching Conversational Speech to Children with Autism Using a Text Message …

Healing From Racism With Compassion Meditation: Effects Of Coping On Mental Health, Courtney Chan

CMC Senior Theses

This study examines whether Compassion Meditation (CM) can help ethnic minority college students heal from race-related stress. The present study hypothesized that through participation in a CM intervention, the augmentation of adaptive coping strategies (i.e., self-compassion) and the reduction of maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., internalization, defined as self-blame, and detachment, defined as social isolation) would reduce depression and PTSD. Participants (N = 9) participated in an 8-session weekly CM intervention and completed three questionnaires at the beginning, middle, and end of the intervention. Results demonstrated that increasing self-compassion predicted decreases in depression, and that reducing coping via detachment predicted …

Collective Memory And History: An Examination Of Perceptions Of Accuracy And Preference For Biased “History” Passages, Stephanie Doi

CMC Senior Theses

Collective memory is a socially shared representation of the past. History, contrastingly, strives to be an unbiased, objective, and critical account of the past. Many researchers have argued that the so-called “history” found in school textbooks and curriculums align more with collective memory; however, many individuals do not know of the pervasiveness of collective memory in supposed “history” texts. To examine perceptions of accuracy and preference of American “history” textbook passages, individuals from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (n= 404) participated in an online study where they were randomly assigned to read one passage that was either negatively biased, neutral, or positively …

Conceptualizing The Neurobiology Of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury From The Perspective Of The Research Domain Criteria Project, Scott R. Braithwaite, Melinda Westlund Schreiner, Bonnie Klimes-Dougan, Erin D. Begnel, Kathryn R. Cullen

Faculty Publications

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) commonly starts in adolescence and is associated with an array of negative outcomes. Neurobiological research investigating NSSI is in its early stages and most studies have examined this behavior within the context of specific diagnoses. However, the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative encourages researchers to examine brain-behavior relationships across diagnoses. This review on the neurobiology associated with NSSI is organized using the domains proposed by RDoC: Negative Valence, Positive Valence, Cognitive, Social Processes, and Arousal/Regulatory Systems. Evidence of neurobiological anomalies is found in each of these domains. We also propose future research directions, especially in regard to …

The Ripple Effect: Youth Leadership Development And Influence On Environmental Engagement In The Community, Laine Bourassa

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Youth leadership is a critical factor in creating momentum for a cultural shift in sustainability practices and can be fostered through youth leadership programs. While evidence exists showing youth environmental programs are able to promote program participant leadership, it is not yet known to what degree these participants are able to improve the environmental engagement of members of their social networks. This “ripple effect” is assessed in the current study through the context of the Make-A-Difference (MAD) Youth Sustainability Leadership Program in New Zealand. The program involves a 3-day social gathering (hui) and ongoing support for several following years. The …

Reading In Arabic Script: A Cross-Linguistic And Cross-National Study, Asma Amin

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The current study examined within- and cross-language predictors of word reading and reading comprehension among groups of Arabic-English bilingual children in different language learning environments. A total of 80 children were tested, forty Arabic-English bilingual children recruited from Saudi Arabia and forty Arabic-English bilingual children were recruited from Canada. Both groups completed parallel measures of word-level reading, reading comprehension and vocabulary in Arabic and English. Results indicated that the underlying components related to within- and cross-language word reading and reading comprehension varied across groups. Within-language results demonstrate that English morphological awareness was significantly related to English word reading in both …

Relationship Commitment As A Moderator Of The Effects Of Promotion Focus On The Pursuit Of Change And Stability Relationship Goals, Sarah Wall

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

According to regulatory focus theory, promotion-focused people should experience stronger engagement toward goals which are framed as leading to advancement. However, because situations can afford or constrain people’s regulatory preference, the present research investigates how promotion-focused individuals’ preference for change and advancement may be altered by the affordances offered by the broader contextual environment (i.e., their romantic relationship). I hypothesized that among participants in romantic relationships, those with a promotion focus (chronic or induced) would engage less in relationship goals when they reflected on how completing these goals would positively change their romantic relationship from its current state, compared to …

The Relationships Of Role Conflict With Role Ambiguity, Role Efficacy, And Task Cohesion: A Study Of Interdependent University Sport Teams, Brennan Petersen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Roles, important structural components in groups, delineate group members’ jobs and responsibilities. Through this division of labour, group members must function interdependently to achieve shared group outcomes. A critical perception that individuals hold regarding their role is the degree to which incongruent expectations are present (i.e., role conflict). This perception is divided into several dimensions: intra-sender conflict, inter-sender conflict, person-role conflict, and inter-role conflict. Previous research has demonstrated that role conflict can negatively affect individual- and group-level variables (e.g., other role perceptions, task cohesion). However, two limitations pervade this research. First, role conflict is generally assessed unidimensionally. Second, the dimensions …

The Giving Tree Academy, David A. Hurdle

CMC Senior Theses

A proposal for a new preschool based in Pomona, California, targeted towards children from low-income backgrounds. Includes extensive research on preschool nationwide, the state of California, and in Pomona. Within the paper a new preschool curriculum and specific teacher practices are discussed. Intended as a model for a new school. or to be adapted for use in educational policy.

The Differentiating Personal And Tactical Dimensions Of Head Coaches In The Nfl: Why Is Bill Belichick Successful When Others Are Not?, Patrick Dixon

CMC Senior Theses

Throughout the history of the NFL, several head coaches have found significantly more success than their peers. The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of what personal and tactical dimensions have set these coaches apart. This paper will study the most successful coaches of the past, as well as today’s most successful coach, Bill Belichick. Through case studies, this paper identifies possible explanation for Belichick’s current run of success in an NFL that grows more competitive each season. Specifically, this paper looks at the relationship between players and coaches, and how Leader- Member exchange plays a …

Negotiating Human Rights Abuses Through The Moral Foundations Theory: An Attempt To Understand The Moral Motivations Behind The Male Guardianship System In Saudi Arabia, Female Genital Modification, And Child Marriage., Anoush Baghdassarian

CMC Senior Theses

The idea that there are universal human rights that can, and should, be enforced has been an increasingly wide-spread and popular belief, as well as a controversial one. Concerns of cultural relativism contrasted with stances of universalism spark an impassioned debate that permeates the dialogue of human rights today in all spheres: social, academic, and even those professional spheres that are tasked with creating and enforcing the laws regarding these issues. What does psychology have to say about this? After all, if it is a universal phenomenon, it must span across time, culture, and difference, and there must be trends …

Virtual Reality: The Game Changer For Residential Real Estate Staging Through Increased Presence, Alexander Julian Brenner

CMC Senior Theses

This study proposes a series of 3 experiments to explore how different types of staging, pictures versus virtual reality, impacts potential buyers’ likelihood of wanting to visit a home. Moreover, this study seeks to address how the type of market, hot versus cold, and type of home, luxury versus non-luxury, connects with staging and its impact on wanting to visit a home. In Experiment 1, participants will view 10 total homes, 5 randomly selected with staged pictures first followed by the remaining 5 with virtual reality, either within the hot or cold market. If VR increases presence, then people should …

Psychometric Analysis And Validity Of The Daily Alcohol-Related Consequences And Evaluations Measure For Young Adults, Scott A. Baldwin, Christine M. Lee, Jessica M. Cronce, Anne M. Fairlie, David C. Atkins, Megan E. Patrick, Lindsay Zimmerman, Mary E. Larimer, Barbara C. Leigh

Faculty Publications

College students experience a variety of effects resulting from alcohol use and evaluate their experiences on a continuum from negative to positive. Using daily reports collected via cell phone, we examined the psychometric properties of alcohol use consequences and evaluations of those consequences. Participants were 349 undergraduate students (mean age 19.7 [SD = 1.26], 53.4% female). Data were analyzed using a multilevel factor analysis framework, incorporating binary items (consequences) and normally distributed items (evaluations). Our model converged on 2 factors-positive and negative-with similar loadings between- and within-persons. Intraclass correlation coefficients for positive consequences and their evaluations ranged from .30 to …

Anticipatory Reactions To Erotic Stimuli: An Exploration Into "Psychic" Ability, Margarita Meza

Honors Program Theses

The current study investigated psi ability (precognition) based on Bem’s (2011) experiments. The study used a computer-based program that tested for the prediction of erotic stimuli via erotic and non-erotic images. Sensation seeking and cortisol were explored as moderators of psi ability. Participants provided saliva samples at the beginning and end of the study for a measure of cortisol. It was predicted that participants would detect the future position of erotic images significantly more than they would by chance and more than non-erotic images. Additionally, it was predicted that those who scored high in sensation seeking would have greater psi …

Gender Differences In Sexual Assault And Ptsd Stigma, Megan Kennedy

Honors Program Theses

Sexual assault is a significant problem in our society, and is experienced differently by male and female sexual assault victims. Stigma, or blame and negative attitudes toward an individual or group, is frequently experienced by sexual assault victims and reinforced through media, culture, and rape/sexual assault myths. Sexual assault and experiences of stigma influence the mental health problems victims face after assault, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Overall, insufficient research has been conducted on the differing experiences of stigma related to male and female sexual assault victims. In order to separate stigma attributions based on sexual assault status and PTSD, …

Perceptions Of Transgender Populations: An Educational Module To Increase Knowledge And Reduce Negative Attitudes, Dacia Kay Oberhelman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Individuals who identify as transgender experience subtle and direct forms of negative attitudes and discrimination. These attitudes and discrimination remain despite the large improvement in attitudes toward sexual minorities over the last few decades. Recent research related to transgender populations largely focuses on examining the existing attitudes, rather than attempts to reduce these negative attitudes. In the current study, we aimed to increase knowledge about transgender populations and reduce negative attitudes (e.g., Social Distance, Negative Affective, and Attitudes Toward Transgender Populations) by employing an online psychoeducational intervention module. This study assessed a 25-minute online psychoeducational module designed to increase knowledge …

Gender Differences In Cognitive Dissonance Reduction Strategies For Partner's Physical Attractiveness, Lijing Ma

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Physical attractiveness is an important standard for mate selection for both men and women (Langlois et al., 2000). However, men may care more about their partners’ physical attractiveness than do women (Feingold, 1990). This study applied cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger, 1957) to physical attractiveness in mate selection. Not everyone can find a partner who is as attractive as he or she would ideally like, so this may create cognitive dissonance between their attitudes and behavior. Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that people try to reduce uncomfortable feelings caused by the differences between their attitudes and behaviors (Festinger, 1957). Because men care …

Anthropocentrism, The Other Face Of Patriarchy: An Investigation Into Patriarchal Attitudes And Perceptions Of Non-Human Nature, Alexis St. Claire

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Attitudes about gender and ethnicity are a critical dimension for understanding how human behaviors impact the climate. Plumwood (1997) argued that conceptually humans relate to the environment is ideologically connected to the way dominant and oppressed groups interact. Past research has found that exposure to nature decreased negative body image and other mental health issues that are connected to oppressive ideologies (Gidlow et al., 2016; Goldenberg & Soule, 2015; Holloway et al., 2014). The current study explicitly tested the link between patriarchal attitudes and connectedness to nature among a student group. It was found that higher levels of patriarchal attitudes …